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Make Your Next Holiday Hassle-free with the Best Gizmos

Travelling without gadgets to really unplug―it’s easier said than done. Sometimes, a good piece of technology can be very convenient and can help make your travelling experience better. You will definitely pack essentials like your phone and a pair of earphones, but sometimes it’s nice to have something extra which adds more happiness to your vacation.

There are loads of devices out there and we have found some of the trendiest and most fun things which you can utilise during your next vacation.

3 Important Tips on How to Choose the Most Useful Tech

Where Are You Headed?

What gadgets you need to pack really depends on where you are going. If you’re going on a world tour, for example, you will need to get a sturdy backpack which won’t get torn up after a couple of bumps. A smaller camera would also be better to carry for long periods of time rather than a huge DSLR.

If you’re going on a cruise, you will definitely want to have a fully-charged e-reader or tablet, because you are going to have lots of time to read. You can even get guidebooks or novels based on your destination! At the same time, you will want to skip any equipment that is super fancy. For instance, drones aren’t usually allowed on most cruise lines, so it’s better to avoid bringing one.

How Long Will You Be Gone for?

You will surely need some essentials like a mobile phone and basic earphones no matter where you go. However, you will need to be smart about packing electronic items depending on the length of your trip.

If it’s just a weekend beach trip, then a tablet or a heavy converter won’t be necessary. But if you’re going to Bali for a month-long business trip, then you’ll want to pack as many important devices as possible to make sure you won’t lose out on an important call or taking a pretty picture.

How Will You Use Your Electronics?

If you have to check your Instagram several times a day or if you just cannot skip a single day of playing PUBG, then you will not only need to have your phone, but also a portable charger or two. For all the travel bloggers out there, a nice selfie stick can come in handy.

If you are someone who has to keep tabs on their email even on a holiday, then you won’t be able to skip bringing a tablet or laptop. For those who are going to be partying all weekend long, a good idea would be to take a set of Bluetooth speakers to bring the house down.

It is very important that you don’t over pack or under pack when it comes to tech, because the right gadgets can be lifesavers, while the wrong ones will end up making your luggage that much heavier.

10 Travel Gadget Ideas for 2019

Adapter

Source www.amazon.in

When your electronics are out of charge, you will rummage through your stuff to take out your new adapter, only to find that it won’t work in a foreign country. This is why it is so important to buy an adapter which will work in most countries, or at least where you’re headed.

After scouring the web, we found the perfect adapter for travellers with the most basic to the most demanding charging needs. The Bestek Universal Travel Adapter, with its five-foot-long power cord and multiple attachments is one of the best ones in the market currently. You can buy it from Amazon for Rs.6,669.

It does have quite a few components, but that will only be helpful in the long run. It converts 220V to 110V, and has 4 separate USB ports. It works in 150 countries and is surprisingly lightweight. Even though it’s a little thick, it is a way better option than a slimmer adapter with limited function.

Wireless Charger

Source www.amazon.in

The trend of wireless phone charging is here to stay. For many travellers, it can be difficult to find a cable outlet in the middle of the woods or in a haveli in Gujarat. Even if you’re in a more densely populated area, you may still find it hard to get a place to charge your phone. This is why having a wireless phone charger can be very important.

The PowerWave 7.5 Stand by Anker is among one of the most highly-rated wireless chargers out there. It supports both 7.5W and 10W charging speeds and is compatible with any Qi device. It has a cooling fan at its base which keeps it from over-heating. Anker is known for its marvellous and affordable tech accessories, so it’s no surprise that this product includes several safety features, including over-charge protection, foreign object detection, and radiation shielding, all for Rs.8,800 on Amazon. They also claim that the PowerWave 7.5 lets you charge your phone even when it has a thick cover.

Currently, mostly popular phones (like the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X, as well as the Samsung Galaxy S9, S9+, and Note 9) can be charged wirelessly, but the market is predicted to expand very soon to include other android phones as well. Anker has also included two charging coils inside the stand, which lets you charge in either portrait or landscape orientation. Overall, it is an excellent alternative to a Belkin or Samsung wireless chargers, which are way more expensive and not as convenient.

Power Bank

Source www.amazon.in

If you’re carrying multiple devices which need external batteries, then a measly little adapter won’t cut it. You will need to take a power bank. If you’re not going to be home for several weeks, it’s god to invest in one that has a capacity of at least 15,000 mAh, but not more than 27,000 mAh because or air travel rules.

The most powerful, affordable, and travel-friendly power bank in India is the Mi Power Bank 2 with 10,000 mAh capacity. Launched by the popular Chinese brand Xiaomi, this device looks sleek and luxurious. It has one full USB port and one micro USB port, meaning it can connect to your laptop and your phone at the same time.

It is small enough that you can carry it in your pocket and weighs only 230g. What’s cool about it is that is has a low power charging mode which can be used for lower powered devices. It is fast charging and does not seem to have any heating problems, either. It is on sale at Amazon for Rs.890.

E-Reader

Source www.amazon.in

While anybody would love to curl up with a thick novel in an airplane to pass the time away, it is not very practical to carry a large book or even several smaller ones. A major investment for an avid traveller is an E-reader.

For a bookworm lost in a city where a library or book store is hard to find, an e-reader can save your day. All you have to do it log onto your Amazon account and download whichever book you want!

Currently, the most sought-after E-reader is the Kindle Paperwhite (10th gen), which was released in 2018. It weighs only 182 grams and its back is soft and easy to grip. For those of you who want to read in your hotel bathtub, The Papaerwhite is a great option since it is waterproof. It includes 10 fonts, five boldness settings, 14 font sizes, and 24 brightness LED brightness levels.

Even though it is a little pricier than the original Kindle (at Rs.12,999 on Amazon), its display is far better and it has twice as much storage. This is perfect for audiobook lovers, since audio files take up more space.

Tablet

Source www.flipkart.com

Tablets can be very important for some travellers and be of no use for others. If you follow several TV series or YouTube channels, and you want to stay entertained during your train ride with a decently sized display, then a tablet may be your next best friend.

Among the many different brands and models, we found the Lenovo Tab 4 with an 8-inch screen is a great value. It weighs a lot less than most other tablets, so you won’t really feel its weight in your carry-on. It has a long battery life and decent hardware. Its performance is smooth and can even be used for a bit of productivity. It even contains a pre-installed Dolby app so you can adjust the volume level easily. And it's available only for Rs.9,999 on Flipkart.

Wireless Speaker

Source www.amazon.in

If you’re going on a trip with your closest friends, or an entire group of people, then sharing music will for sure be a great bonding experience. Perfect for road trips, late night bonfires, or even just for chilling out alone, wireless speakers are next in line for a fun gadget to take with you.

Look no further, the JBL Go 2 is an affordable and waterproof speaker that gives you great volume levels and a full sound signature for its small size. Cnet describes it as, “A mini Bluetooth speaker that offers maximum portability.”

It is square with rounded edges and can continuously play all of your favourite road trip tracks for 5 hours. It can easily fit in a purse and can also be used as a speakerphone. You can buy it on Amazon for Rs.2,380.

Gaming Console

Source www.amazon.in

Sometimes a smartphone just isn’t enough for all the true gamers out there, but it is impossible to take you Xbox with you everywhere. Many people today opt instead for handheld gaming consoles which can be taken anywhere and easily fit in a backpack.

Hands down, the best portable gaming console you can buy is the Nintendo Switch. It is light and feels comfortable in your hands. It doesn't cause any wrist pain. It also has a kickstand that folds out from the back of the console, so you can put it on a table. It costs just above Rs.23,000 if you buy it on Amazon.

You can play solo or with someone you’re travelling with since it has two detachable Joy-Cons. Up to Joy-Cons can be used by multiple people for a variety of gameplay options, but you’ll have to buy the extra consoles separately. It has 32 GB of storage. You can download games from the Nintendo online store or buy a cartridge. One cool thing is that they have made the cartridge's taste horrible, so that a kid won’t accidentally swallow them.

Noise-Cancelling Headphones

Source www.amazon.in

A lot of us love listening to music, especially while travelling. If not music, then perhaps audio books or podcasts. Whichever you like, sometimes you just want to close your eyes and relax. The best way to immerse yourself is by using noise-cancelling headphones or earphones.

If you are looking for optimum noise cancellation and cool features, you should definitely check out the Sony WH-1000XM3 noise-cancelling headphones. For the last two years, no other pair has been able to top these. Currently, they are on sale at Amazon for Rs.27,990.

These headphones are amazing at whisking you into wonderland and keeping you away from outside noise. Imagine that there’s a crying baby on your 15-hour flight and there’s nothing you can do about it. Well, you can, with a good pair of headphones.

They have an impressive 30-hour battery life and are lighter than its older model. There’s even a quick charge feature, in which 10 minutes of charging will let you use them for 5 hours. Plus they come with a “Quick Attention Mode”, which lets you listen to any outside sounds, such as announcements, without taking them off.

Drone

Source www.amazon.in

If you’re a photographer by profession, or by passion, and you travel a lot, then consider getting a drone. Now, some of you may be thinking, isn’t it illegal to use drones in India? Well, not anymore! There are a bunch of rules and regulations that you should check which you can find here. Once you’re familiar with the laws, it shouldn’t be a problem to use a drone.

They are great for landscape and aerial photography and videos. However, drones can be super expensive, the highest price being around Rs.1.06 lakhs. We have found a high-standard drone which is compact and is easier on your wallet. The DJI Mavic Air is incredibly portable and is great at avoiding obstacles, meaning it is easy to fly. It has 8GB of storage and also supports 120 fps slow-motion video recording.

You can get one on Amazon for Rs.94,500.

Mini Photo Printer

Source www.amazon.in

Some of us just love a good photograph – no, not the digital kind; the real-life kind. How great would it be if you could print a picture from your vacation the day you snapped it, right? You should consider buying a mini photo printer for you next holiday.

HP’s Sprocket 2nd Edition portable photo printer is one of the best out there. Its print quality is on the same level as other printers of its kind, but its running cost is lower. It is tiny enough to fit anywhere, so it is great for travellers who want to make a scrapbook or just leave pictures hidden in the walls of Rome.

It has a fun AR (Augmented Reality) feature that lets you add cute filters and stickers to your photos as well. The printer is remarkably easy to use since it can connect to all of your social media accounts at the same time. It is available on Amazon for only Rs.23,500.

Bonus Idea for Items That Get Misplaced Easily: Tile Pro

Source www.amazon.in

This one is a must for anyone who loses important things like keys, wallets, etc. on a regular basis. If you tend to search for your passport at the last minute, then you want to get some Tiles. No, not bathroom tiles.

The Tile Pro is the best Bluetooth tracking device at the moment. It has an amazing 200ft range, so you won’t have to frantically search all of your drawers and shelves before leaving the house. You can easily hang it to a keychain since it has a circular cut-out.

Unlike its previous versions, the 1-year battery is replaceable. One Tile costs only Rs.6,500 and is available on Amazon. The beeping sound it makes when your item is near is pretty loud, a lot louder than Pixel and Mate. It connects to an app, which works really well at helping you find lost items.

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From our editorial team

Travel Minus Hassle

People always encourage others to unplug while travelling, but it is not such great advice if you want to capture your memories or want your devices charged. So if you're looking forward to a holiday, make sure you equip yourself with the right gadgets that will make your travel and stay hassle-free.